


I Was Never One to Ask for the Price (Platonic version)

by Lori_Cifera



Category: Buzzfeed Unsolved (Web Series)
Genre: Demon Shane Madej, F/M, Werewolves, demonic(?) possession at least, in a way i guess, platonic, platonic shyan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-08
Updated: 2019-03-08
Packaged: 2019-11-13 15:26:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18034289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lori_Cifera/pseuds/Lori_Cifera
Summary: A typical demon investigation ends up with Shane coming out changed.A werewolf fic I did as a request.A platonic version of the fic, with some differences, and platonic Shane&Ryan.





	I Was Never One to Ask for the Price (Platonic version)

Ryan slipped into his theory voice:

“This house was a scene of a horrible crime almost 100 years ago now. In what were titled 'The Red Riding Hood' murders by the press, three people were found dead. The mother, father, and their adopted daughter.”

“What's with the red riding hood thing?” Shane asked.

“You'll see.”

Ryan opened the door to the small house and they stepped in.

“In a summer evening, during full moon, something horrible happened in this house. The details are unclear, but the next morning the parents were found shot to death. Rosie, the newly adopted daughter, was found in a bloody mess. Barely recognizable.”

Shane grimaced. “Tough.”

“And on the scene of the crime, huge bloody paw prints.”

“So, what? A wolf shot some people?”

Ryan stepped into the dusty room that had once been a parlor. “Here's where the bodies were found. The father was found on the sofa and it seems he shot himself.”

“A question, did the family have a dog?”

“No.”

Shane could tell Ryan was more nervous than usual. “Wait a second-”

“There's a common theory the mother murdered the adopted child, suddenly envious of her. They had been trying to have a child for years, and had eventually adopted an orphan child. The mother's hands had been covered in blood. As had her mouth.”

“Hnnh.”

“Lot of people believe she killed the child and- destroyed the evidence. And when the father found out he shot her and then guilt-ridden, turned the gun on himself.”

“Wait when you say 'destroyed the evidence' do you mean she _ate_ her?”

“Maybe! Certainly- Certainly there was quite a mess.”

Ryan swallowed. “It is my belief she was possessed by a wolf demon.”

“A demon?” Shane had guessed it. They hadn't done a demon episode this season yet. “You saying she turned into a little puppy and...”

He made a vague hand gesture. Making fun of a death of a child at the hands of her caretaker was a bit too dark. He'd have to find a way to play this more lighthearted. Focus on the wolf angle. Make it ridiculous.

“Possible. Or maybe it was a werewolf I don't know.”

Shane eyed the room. He picked up an old rusty ax and carefully waved it.

“Ew gross I was about to make a joke about the woodcutter in the Red Riding Hood story but now I'm just regretting I picked this up.” He dropped the ax and wiped his hands on his chinos. “Everything here is covered in dust and grime. I would have never agreed to sleep here if I knew this was such a shithole. Look at the floor! There's like a foot of mud on the floor! Be careful where you step or you might sink out of view.”

This failed to get a smile out of Ryan. “Hmh.”

Shane was about to say something about this being both a demon and a cryptic episode and so two-for-one but he could see Ryan pulling out the spirit box.

He made a face. “Really? Haven't these ghosts suffered enough?”

Ryan ignored him and the static filled the tiny house.

“There have been sightings of ghostly figures here, and poltergeist activity”, Ryan explained. His tone softened: “Is there a little girl here?” He turned to Shane. “I'm gonna start out with the least aggressive ghost.”

“Yeah I could tell.”

“Because I am terrified.”

“I know.”

The box let out a screech.

“I think it said 'Rosie'” Ryan said. “Are we talking to Rosie?”

_-zzt-tzz-zzt—aan-tzz-zzt-_

“It was horrible what happened to you,” Ryan continued. “If you want to talk I am listening. If I can help in any way- It must have been horrible-”

He stopped. “I think I felt something.”

“Anything doggyish?”

“Shut up Shane.”

“You know, dogs, and wolves have a very good hearing. That thing is probably gonna just piss them off.”

Ryan shut down the spirit box. “I feel weird. I feel dizzy.”

Shane gave him a look, trying to evaluate if this was an actual emergency. But Ryan seemed stable enough. Good. He decided to keep an eye out for him just in case. True, Ryan had never fainted on one of these trips but Shane was half certain it'd happen eventually.

“Hey!” Shane yelled out into the room, hoping to take Ryan's mind out of whatever he had thought he had felt. “Here boy!”

“Are you calling out to the wolf?”

“Yeah, why not? You should have told me we were coming over to visit a puppy! I would have brought doggy treats.”

Ryan let out a strangled laugh.

Shane bent down and reached out his hand to the air. “Oh hai doggy!”

“Are you quoting _The Room_ at the demon?” Ryan asked.

“Yeah! Trying to channel some of the energies.”

“Please leave me out of this now I'm half afraid we'll accidentally summon Tommy Wiseau.”

“Do you suppose he's a demon?” Shane mused.

Good. Joking about that was a much better avenue compared to the very real tragedy of a child murder.

“Sure. Why not. A vampire more likely,” Ryan deadpanned.

“Don't act like you're above vampire theories. You are currently trying to contact a _werewolf!_ ”

“Ts ts ts! Not me. I'm not. It's all you. I am just here to observe!”

Shane stood up and spread his arms. “If there is any wolfie pups there I invite them in! Come on! Hitch a ride with me back to LA! Get to Hollywood! Monster dudes are hot right now! I can get you a starring role in the Shape of Water sequel!”

“He's lying, he has no connections, he's just going to put you in his Youtube videos. Also fuck you Shane for getting me involved again!”

Shane laughed. “You're just looking out for your new best pal the Wolfman!”

“Nope! Nope!”

“Wouldn't want him to get bamboozled by the glitz and glamor of Hollywood. Good old Ryan Bergara. Looking out for ya!”

“No!”

Shane looked around the room expectantly. “Nope. Nothing. I am _truly_ shocked.”

 

* * *

 

 

Shane was standing in the woods. He breathed in the brisk air. It felt... nice. Homely. So different from the stifling hot Los Angeles air. He took an another step in the wilderness. He marveled at the moonlight shining through the forest. He stopped to listen. Apart from the wind he could hear nothing. He was vaguely aware he didn't know where he was but somehow it didn't matter. He continued on the forest path until-

A silvery wolf stood blocking his way.

“Ah.”

The wolf turned to look at him, eyes locking with his.

“I really- I really should be going- Getting back home-”

Shane took a step back, not daring to break eye contact.

Without warning the beast leaped at him.

 

Shane opened his eyes.

_A dream._

He sat up, gasping for air. Where was he? The thing that first made him aware of not being at home was the smell. It smelled like wet leaves... Like a forest...

But he was in a dark dilapidated room. Ah yes, one of those supposedly haunted places-

And something was watching him.

Two golden eyes shone in the dark.

Shane screamed.

“Shane? What the fuck?”

Sleepy Ryan was looking at him, shining a light at his face, and then around the empty room.

“I thought I saw- something. Like an- animal-”

“What? Like a wolf?” Ryan sounded almost amused.

Shane slipped on his glasses. The room was empty of any animals. “It was... Just a nightmare.”

 

* * *

 

 

“For once, I actually slept well in a haunted location,” Ryan spoke to the camera, as they were filming themselves leaving the building in the morning.

He turned the camera towards his co-host. “Apart from a certain someone waking me up in the middle of the night.”

“Come on, it was a nightmare. I am actually reasonably afraid of real things, such as wild animals. Your little fairytale got to me.”

“Whatever. I wish all the shaniacs out there are watching this.”

“We were sleeping in an old house that probably has huge holes in the walls! It wouldn't be any wonder if something did wander inside to eat our faces middle of the night!”

“Hah! I slept well!” Ryan grinned.

“I know and it's insufferable.”

Shane wanted to ask if Ryan could still smell the scent of an ancient forest that lingered in the house.

He did not.

* * *

 

 

Shane opened his refrigerator. It was almost empty and he was starving.

His cat immediately ran to him and bunted his legs.

“Hmmm you just got fed,” Shane told him.

“Meow!”

“Right, right. I'm one to talk.”

He considered ordering more pizza but actually a short trip to the grocery store sounded good. He really needed to get out of the house.

Ever since getting back from the latest ghoul hunting trip he had felt weird.

Slightly anxious. Energetic.

Constantly like he could eat a horse.

He walked to his car and stopped. He didn't really feel like sitting in LA traffic. And it was just a few blocks away anyway. He started to walk briskly. Then faster. And before he knew it he had broken into a jog.

It felt great! He should tell Ryan about this, he had made fun of him for being out of shape.

Why didn't he jog more often? This was easy! He reached the corner store in no time and didn't even break a sweat!

Shane filled his shopping basket with steak, and bread.

He stopped in front of the fruit stand. He was in the mood for some apples, maybe...

He picked one up.

He wasn't sure why he decided to try it.

But he wrapped his fingers around the apple and squeezed as hard as he could.

The fruit exploded in a shower of juicy chunks.

Shane yelped.

He looked around. “Must be- must be- spoiled apples. Expired. S-soft.”

Yeah, that was definitely it.

 

* * *

 

 

 

Shane swallowed the handful of popcorn and gestured at the TV where the ending credits were playing on the screen. “It gets really weird soon once they find the ship in the woods. I think. It's been years since I saw LOST.”

Ryan nodded. “Cool.”

“So, same time tomorrow?” Shane asked, pulling Ryan's half finished popcorn bowl to himself.

He was starving.

“I can't tomorrow,” Ryan said. “I got a date.”

“Oh. Okay.”

Shane became suddenly preoccupied with his popcorn. Ever since Ryan and Helen had broken up he had been spending a lot of his time with Shane. And Shane supposed he had gotten used to it. Once Ryan would start dating they might start spending less time together and-

He pushed the thought out of his mind.

“Who is it? I mean, do I know her?”

“No, I guess you don't. We met just recently. She's great. Perfect. We clicked immediately. I never mentioned her to you? Huh. It already feels like I've been with her for ages.”

“Sounds great.”

Shane rubbed his eyes, letting out a pained groan. As this prompted no response from Ryan he said: “I've been having weird dreams for the last few nights.”

“Okay.”

Shane stared at Ryan who was preoccupied with his phone.

“Ever since we got back from the Wolf house.” He looked at his friend expectantly. Surely this would pique Ryan's curiosity. He'd grin and claim this was a sign of a ghost hitching a ride on Shane, and Shane could roll his eyes and argue it was just all that cheese he had been eating before bed-

Instead Ryan merely hummed in response and fiddled with his phone. Shane could see he was going through his texts.

“They're dreams of running in a forest on all fours, trying to desperately find something,” Shane tried.

_And some of them are really weird and creepy and I wake up so hungry and feeling like I had ran a marathon-_

He refrained from saying that out loud, waiting for Ryan to pull it out of him.

Instead, Ryan stood up. “Listen, I gotta go.”

He smiled absently, looking at his phone. Shane expected him to mention why he was suddenly in such a great mood. Instead he simply walked to the door and started to pull on his coat.

Shane nodded. “Yeah. Okay. See ya.”

Ryan closed the door after himself and Shane had never felt so alone.

* * *

 

 

Shane was pacing around the small apartment. He really should have checked but-

He had been avoiding finding out if the bizarre instinct inside him was right. It was like something in him was calling out and-

He sat on the sofa and his cat jumped onto his lap.

“I'm losing it, I think.”

Obi meowed.

Shane petted the cat absentmindedly. It at least took his mind a bit away from the feeling of being pulled apart by something. Even if he could smell the cat better than he really should be. In fact all of his senses seemed sharper now.

He let out a frustrated sound that came out too close to a growl for comfort.

Obi purred.

Shane set the cat down despite his protests, stood up, and walked to the computer. He let his fingers hover over the keyboard for a bit before typing 'the phase of the moon now' on Google.

He stared at the result he had already felt in his very being.

This night would be full moon.

Shane licked his lips. This was ridiculous. He didn't actually believe- Even if werewolves were a bit more realistic than ghosts. They were flesh and blood. It could be an illness of some kind? Maybe he had rabies? He should ask someone to petsit Obi until-

He lifted the phone and started looking for Ryan's contact information.

_Ryan._

The phone dropped as his hand trembled.

Shane stumbled up. He had to get out-

He stared at his fingers bending as sharp pain ran through him.

He yelped.

Shane watched in horror as his hand bent out of shape to form a paw. Something deep in his chest, a different presence, was awake now and being pulled to the surface by the moon he couldn't even see.

For some reason his mind called back to Ryan telling him about the possessed girl having bear paws.

 _Maybe I_ am _possessed_.

He doubled over in pain as the thing inside him tried to push to the surface, to take over his body.

_I have to get out._

He was pawing at the door when he realized running out would be the worst thing he could do. With the last of his human will he pushed away from the front door and staggered back to his living room.

_As long as I stay here- won't let this thing go after Ryan it will be... okay._

He could _smell_ Ryan where he had sat on his sofa and fuck that was creepy and what did that thing want with Ryan-

He collapsed on all fours with a whimper, fighting it, trying to hold onto his human mind as his bones bent and shifted and it felt so much easier to just let go.

And eventually he gave up and let himself get swept in it.

* * *

 

Shane opened his eyes, disoriented. He had wanted to get out, so desperately...

He sat up, naked, middle of his living room.

His apartment was a mess. The curtains were torn apart, the sofa had been moved and he had made a little nest for himself between it and the wall from his dirty laundry.

A panic ran through him. He had completely lost any sense of self. He had maybe some vague recollections of feelings, not thought...

At least Obi was okay. The cat had been curled up on the nest next to him.

So, time to admit things.

He was a werewolf.

 

* * *

 

“This next one is a bit clearer,” Ryan told Shane.

Shane nodded, adjusting his headphones. He had to turn the volume down. His hearing was much better now and that made suffering through the spirit box chatter even more painful than usual.

He listened to whatever nonsense Ryan was trying to sell him as a ghost whine.

All the while trying to figure out how to exactly bring up the whole...

He was still finding it difficult to say 'werewolf' even in the privacy of his own mind.

_'My little possession problem?' Fuck that's way worse. It's like admitting he was right all along._

“Anyway, did you look into the background of this supposed demon? Just wondering if we should be trying to listen to any wolf noises?”

“Good point.” Ryan leaned back. “I don't know. Didn't find much. It's a demon, what do you expect?”

“Hmm.”

Shane shook his head, trying to focus. “I just think maybe we could add to the ep with. Some werewolf stuff. Wolf demon stuff. Put one of your little theories there?”

“That she was a werewolf?”

“I'm not suggesting it- werewolves aren't real either.”

 _So I have decided to lie, then? Great. Awesome_.

“Yeah I don't really believe in werewolves,” Ryan admitted. “Not that it isn't a possibility but eh. Put it in the 'maybe' column. But it would make for some good filler for the episode. I don't think we have that much footage. It was pretty uneventful.”

“Mhhh. Yeah. Anyway, ghost growls? Let's get this over with.”

 

 

 

* * *

 

Shane had been deep in thought reading about werewolves, and trying to decide if _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_ counted as a reliable source, when Ryan walked up to him at the office.

“Shane?”

He stood up, slamming his laptop shut. “Oh?”

The woman standing next to him must have been Ryan's new girlfriend. She was tiny, petite, with golden hair and sunny disposition. She gave Shane a pleasant smile.

Shane immediately despised her.

The woman offered her hand. “Dawn.”

Shane took it, determined to stay polite.

_I could sink my teeth in your neck and tear it out and watch you bleed and-_

Shane recoiled at the sharp intrusive thought filling his mind. The image had been so vivid he ran his tongue on his teeth to make sure they were still human.

“Shane. His name is Shane,” Ryan interrupted as Shane kept gawking at her.

“This is just some bit. He's like this.” Ryan stepped between them. “Please don't be afraid of my tall dumb friend.”

“Yes, no. I'm Shane.”

“Despite what his terrifying enormous inhuman head and unnatural proportions would suggest he's harmless.”

Shane gave her a tight-lipped smile, desperately wishing Ryan was right.

 

* * *

 

“So, it's eight PM and I can't help noticing you're not here.” Shane resisted asking if everything was okay. Lately everything that had to do with Ryan had him on edge.

“Huh?” Ryan's voice came through the line. “What?”

It felt like a rock had fallen into Shane's stomach. “Our LOST marathon.”

“I forgot.”

“Not a big deal,” Shane lied.

He could hear someone talking. “Is that Dawn?”

“Yeah, we're watching a movie.”

“Tell her hi.” Shane forced the words out of his mouth. And before Ryan could answer he cut the call.

* * *

 

 

In the days following Shane forced himself to work. And he was doing well enough that he had deluded himself into thinking this could work out. So what if he could smell Dawn on Ryan constantly as he sat next to him at the office? He could handle this.

So what if Ryan spent less and less time with him... He was busy, this was fine.

His best friend had all the right to have a life outside him! And he'd keep being a good friend to Ryan. A good bro.

As long as Shane just locked himself into his apartment every full moon nothing would have to change.

However, eventually it all came to a screeching halt.

Shane walked to the set of Unsolved. And came face-to-face with Dawn and Ryan.

Ryan turned to him. “Shane!”

“He wanted to show me where he works.” Dawn smiled.

“I was just...”

There probably wasn't a good way to say 'I smelled you and got worried for some reason' so Shane settled for: “Was just looking for some of my post-it-notes.”

Dawn turned to fiddle with some of the prop files on the desk and anger flared in Shane.

 _Get away from here_.

What was she doing? If she thought she could just walk in here and take Ryan away from him- This place was theirs! This show was his, and Ryan's and she didn't belong here!

He took a step towards her and bared his teeth. Usually Shane made the conscious effort not to glower over people, but now he was fully determined to take full advantage of his height to make her afraid, to-

She screamed.

Shane froze. “I'm sorry- I-”

Ryan gasped and their eyes met.

The look of horror on Ryan's face was familiar to Shane. But it had never been aimed at _him_. “Shane what the fuck- How did you- Your hair-”

Ryan was afraid of him.

Shane fled, not caring if the people in the office shot weird looks at him.

The thing inside of him was screaming at him to go back, to bare his fangs, to tear into her flesh, to not let her take Ryan away-

Shane locked himself into a bathroom. His hair-

He stared into the mirror. His hair was silvery white.

In horror he watched fur sprout on his arms.

 _Nononono_.

It wasn't even a full moon! This wasn't how it was supposed to work!

_It's working on The Howling rules!?_

He wanted to run back there, and apologize to Ryan and plead him not to forget about him and fuck that sounded needy-

Shane could feel the bestial power within himself retreating.

He let out a hysterical laugh.

He wanted her to just disappear. This was bad.

For now, this was under control.

For now.

* * *

 

 

Shane stumbled out of the car and towards the Wolf house. He didn't know what he was planning on doing there but if this didn't work clearly running to the hills and into a forest was the only thing he could do.

Somewhere far away from civilization. Live middle of nowhere. Become a cryptid.

Far away from anyone he could hurt.

He couldn't trust himself near Dawn.

 _Or_ Ryan.

He thought of the younger man and sobs ran through his body. He couldn't stay around him. Who knew what he would do to him? Even if he could struggle to keep the Wolf at bay Ryan would never be at ease around him again.

He steeled himself.

_You can do this._

He took a deep breath and opened the door to the house.

“Here I am, fuckers!”

The house smelled like a forest once more. He could feel the connection to whatever was in there. And it felt familiar. Calming.

Was it because of what he was now? Was he possessed? Where did the Wolf end and Shane begin?

“Happy now?”

He reached out to the house. Throughout the feeling of a forest to the sharp evil power he could tell was hiding there. It stung at him like a sharp shard of pain, a searing hot poker jabbed at his ribs. There was some kind of an evil presence here and he could feel it.

Shane stood straight. He had done this sort of a thing numerous times before but it had never been anything but talk. This was the first time he _believed_.

He gathered all the anger he had inside and it occurred to him just how brave Ryan had been for all this time to go on these locations when feeling like this. He took a deep breath.

“Show your fucking face you coward!”

“Rude.”

Shane twirled around, and his mouth hang open.

“Dawn?”

She was standing there, middle of the darkened room, sunlight in her hair.

A chill ran on Shane's spine at the sheer wrongness of her.

He could feel the Wolf that had made a nest in his soul reaching out, filling his senses. Filling him with clarity.

She wasn't human.

The woman-shaped thing spread her arms. “I didn't expect you to manage to pull me out here as fast... My poor little Ryan was quite surprised-”

A foreign memory flooded Shane's mind.

_The little girl with sunlight in her hair, showed up at our doorstep. I was so happy at first, before I realized she had latched herself onto my husband. Before noticing how the girl's eyes were soulless. How he was changing, forgetting me and everyone he had cared about. In my desperation I reached out to something ancient in the woods. The Wolf answered. The Wolf promised to protect him-_

The memory retreated, leaving Shane shaking.

“You- Changeling. Body snatcher. You-” he shook his head, trying to put into words the revelation the Wolf was showing him. “Ryan isn't yours!” He realized he had trouble speaking.

Fangs. He was shifting, the wolf ready to do what it had been summoned to do a hundred years ago.

To protect-

“Ryan ishn't anyone's!”

She twisted her neck to look at him and she was made of sunlight. “Liar. You would have never been able to become the Wolf if you didn't lay a claim on my prey.”

Shane shook his head, afraid that if he tried to speak it'd just come out as garble.

_I am going to get rid of that thing. And then I am going to run away into the woods and never talk to Ryan again._

“Dawn?”

Shane froze. Dawn smiled and turned towards the voice, the unnatural glow gone.

“Ryan, dear.”

A growl escaped Shane.

“Jesus fuck what is going on?”

Dawn walked to Ryan and Shane forced himself to look at him. Helpless, he watched the monster reach out its hand to his Ryan and run its finger on his jaw.

Shane whimpered.

A dull glow overtook Ryan's eyes. “I... Could guess you'd be here, but what is-”

“You came just in time,” it told him. “To see the monster. I think it's a _demon_.” It reached to whisper into Ryan's ear: “It was just pretending to be a human all this time... Pretending to be your friend when it was waiting for the chance to gobble you up-”

Shane watched Ryan shiver. He didn't even have to say anything, his disgust and fear in full display. Shane averted his eyes. He couldn't handle seeing Ryan look at him like that.

He could try to argue against it but he was unable to hold the Wolf back, and Ryan would just think he was a demon trying to trick him.

The real monster, made of empty glow, the antithesis of real, true lifegiving sunlight, reached to whisper to something to Ryan.

And Shane snapped.

He leaped at her and tackled her to the ground. Ryan stumbled backwards.

Shane wrapped his fingers around Dawn's throat.

“Leave him alone!”

“Oh?” She bent hear head to look at Ryan. “For you to keep him all for yourself? Did you really think you two could just keep doing this forever? Hunting for _ghosts?_ It won't last, Shane Madej. Ryan will get tired of it, and you, and move on to new, bigger projects. And what reason will he have to hang out with someone like _you_ then?”

Shane felt like a rock had sunk into his stomach at the truth in the words. It was true. Ryan was the hardworking, reliable, competent one. He was smart enough to eventually realize there was no such thing as ghosts and then the show would be over and Shane would have nothing to offer him. Ryan-

Shane looked up and as soon as their eyes met, found he couldn't face his gaze. Ryan believed her and Shane couldn't really blame him. He focused on the figure under him and let his anger and frustration out.

“Oh we're trying this now? A fucking great plan, you really think trying to break our friendship is gonna matter at this point? I'll just run into the woods once this is all said and done! Great plan attempting psychological warfare, but I bet you weren't prepared to face Shane 'human disaster' Madej! I don't care! Do whatever! I'm ready to burn all of these bridges once we're done, baby!”

He was terrified, and furious, and the wolf was ready to finish her.

But Shane hesitated. He pushed the wolf away.

She looked _human_.

Shane's grip loosened, and before he could react a blast of light blew him across the room.

He yelped as his back hit the wall.

“Burn, then,” she said, shining and beautiful and terrifying. She lifted her arm.

And fell forwards.

Shane stared at her suddenly limp body hitting the dusty floor.

And Ryan, standing behind her, with a still raised ax.

The shine was gone from his eyes, giving room for the panicked dark gaze Shane knew so well.

“Fuck, man! Fuck!”

Ryan let out a scream as the body bubbled away like it had lost all cohesion, leaving a bloody mess in its wake.

“Gross! Aaah!” Ryan dropped the ax as if it burned him.

“Ryan! Please-”

Ryan approached Shane carefully.

“Don't...”

“Are you okay?”

Shane was about to nod, but he hesitated. He was probably physically fine, if likely very sore tomorrow, but-

He was human, for the moment, however- “The Wolf is still in me... And the worst thing is, it feels... Friendly...”

The Wolf had settled into him, a heavy solid presence in his chest.

“Shane you asshole.”

“Eh?”

“Why didn't you tell me?”

“Sorry. I just...”

Ryan reached out a hand to him. Shane twitched.

“Come on. It's okay...” Ryan swallowed. “You idiot. Do you really think I'm hanging out with you for, what? Out of obligation? You're my _friend_ you absolute dumbfuck. Unsolved or no Unsolved.”

“Oh. Wait, are you okay-”

Ryan nodded. “I feel like a fog was lifted from my head when- I saw how you hesitated to- I believed you were a monster, a demon out to get me, but when I saw you there, I remembered what you are really like, and I realized nothing about her made sense. We just met, and didn't even chat just... Became a couple. It was pretty easy to see who the monster was right at that moment.”

“Ryan, it's still in me...” Shane let out a strained laugh. “I think it _is_ me-”

Ryan pulled Shane up. “We need to get you out of here. Can you walk?” Ryan glanced at the mess on the floor. “I think I will be sick if we don't get away from here.”

“ _That_ thing is gone,” Shane told him, leaning slightly on Ryan. “I can't- I can't feel it. I dunno if it's really gone for good but... For now. At least until it makes a new body for itself. It probably will be a hundred years or so-”

“You piece of shit. We finally get evidence of ghosts and can't show anyone for the fear of you being dragged away to be vivisected for science.”

“Excuse me, we got evidence of _demons_. Or forest spirits... Jury's still out on ghosts.”

A fond smile spread on Ryan's face. “I hate you.”

Shane returned the smile. “I know.”

 

* * *

 

 

 

Ryan looked up from his book. “Remember to fill the waterbowl,” Ryan reminded Shane. “You always get thirsty and I'm not getting out of bed no matter how much you whine.”

Shane laughed. “Not gonna take me for a walk?”

Ryan looked into his already golden eyes. The moon was pulling on him already.

“Me dogsitting for you when the dog _is_ you is plenty weird already, bro,” Ryan mumbled.

Shane smiled, his grin starting to look more and more wolfy by the minute.

“Come on now, this what best friends are for, right? You never had sleepovers with your buddies as a kid?”

“Yeah but no one ever turned into a wolf.”

However, any annoyance in him was wiped off as Shane twitched in pain.

Ryan carefully reached out his hand as if talking to a startled animal. “Shhh it's fine.”

By now Ryan was familiar with the transformation but seeing Shane's body twist like this, in between human and canine, always made him uneasy and wish the transformation was over.

Ryan reached out to rub Shane's now wolf-like ears. All he could do was try to make him relax. Even if he couldn't make the transformation any less painful.

“Ryan...” Shane mumbled through sharp teeth.

“It's okay.”

It had been half a year now, and even though they both trusted the wolf side of him by now, Ryan suspected Shane still always had a fear he wouldn't return to humanity come sunlight.

Ryan ran his fingers on his fur, wondering if it was just wishful thinking or if the process was becoming faster and less painful.

Mostly wolf Shane gave a content hum.

_Maybe he doesn't fight it anymore._

And so soon the silvery, lanky wolf was sitting next to Ryan. It rolled over, revealing its belly.

Ryan rubbed its stomach. “Here ya go, buddy.”

The Wolf wagged its tail.

Ryan was fairly sure this wasn't how a wolf should act. But he also had a recollection of reading somewhere if you mixed a human and a wolf you got, well, a dog.

Shane had told him he had no idea how much of him was there as the Wolf.

Ryan had a feeling he knew.

He watched the Wolf yawn as it curled up on the doggy bed.

“Goodnight, Shane.”

 

 

 


End file.
